Door-coordinating device



March 10, 1931. w, ROSENBERG DOOR COORDINATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 8, 1930Patented Mar. 10, 1931 warren stares PATENT 0FFIE MYER W. ROSENBERG, 0FMINNEAZPOLIS, MINNESOTA noon-ooonnnmrine nnvron Application filed.August 8, 1930. Serial No. 473,892.

This invention relates to a door co-ordinating or controlling device foruse on pairs of swinging doors which have over-lapping edges, astragalsor rahbeted faces.

Such devices are designed to insure the clos ing of the inactive orlapped door before the closing of the active or over-lapping doorthereby preventing jamming of the opposing edges of said doors. A fe vmechanisms have been developed for performing this function, mostlyconsisting of a pair of movable members projecting from the top of thedoorway and each adapted to engage one of the swinging doors adjacentits free vertical edge.

One of said members usually projects a greater distance than the othermember to hold the active or over-lapping door partially open until theinactive or lapped door swings past the edge of the active door,striking the second member and thereby releasing the active door. 7

Up to this time door co-ordinating devices have been unsatisfactory forseveral reasons. In the first place, the door engaging members had to beperfectly adjusted or the inactive door would not clear the free edge ofthe active door in closing. In the second place, if the two doors wereslowly opened in unison by swinging the inactive door, the active doorusuallywould not swing open to a sufficient degree to permit the saidmovable door-engaging members to be extended to operative position forholding the active door open. Consequently, the device would fail towork and the inactive door would close first or the edges of the twodoors would jam, exerting lateral pressure in the direction of the doorhinges. This pressure soon loosened the hinges causing the doors to sagand become displaced.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple and efficient doorco-ordinating mechanism for astragal, overlapping or rabbeted doorswhich will overcome the objectionable features of co-ordinatingmechanisms now in use, which will not require elaborate adjustment andwhich will positivelv insure successful operation in closing the twodoors regardless of which of the doors is swung or whether the doors areopened slowly or with violence.

It is a further object to provide a compact and efficient doorco-ordinating mechanism of the class described which may be convenientlymounted below the top of the doorway, which will present an ornateappearance and which is adapted for use in door construction where eiher the right or left do rs of the pair are equipped with the astragalor over-lapping edge.

More specifically it is an object to provide in door co-ordinatingmechanism of the class described, means associated with and closelycooperating with a pair of swingable doorengaging arms for positivelycausing the active or over-lapping door to be swung out sufficientlywhen either of said doors is swung to provide the necessary clearancefor the inactive door and to insure engagement of said active door withits door-engaging member or arm under all conditions. v

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the class described whereinit will be impossible for the opposing edges of the swinging doors tojam thereby obviating the lateral pressure against the hinges of thedoor. wherein the device may be applied to swing ing doors regardless ofwhich door the astragal or over-lapping edge is mounted on and whereinthe device is applicable to doors which vary widely in width withoutrequiring shortening or reducing of the projecting arms.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer tosimilar parts throughout the several views, and in which Fig. 1 a crosssection taken through the top of the doorway wherein a pair of swingableastragal doors are mounted equipped with the usual door checks andhaving associated therewith my improved door co-ordinating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a section looking down upon the door engaging arms in plan,fragments of the doors being shown in cross section at the point in theoperation of the device where the inactive door has just engaged itsrespective arm to release'engagement of the second arm which holdstheactive door, the dotted lines in saidfigure indicating the two doorsin their closed position; 7

Figzlf is a fragmentary elevation showing the outer portions of the twodoors in the position illustrated'in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the bracketand mounting for tional door check X to effect automatic clos ing of thesame.

Mounted below the top of doorway D is a suitable bracket 8 having spaceddepending of the doorway and has an at cars So in which a horizontalshaft 9 extendmg parallel with the door stop 1s ournaled.

. Bracket 8 asclearly shown in Fig. 2 is disposed inwardly of thedoor-receiving portion tachmen-t flange provided with a pair oftransverse slots 8?) and. a pair ofattachment holes through which screwsor other securing means may extend for fastening the bracket to thedoorway. i V

A pair of door-engaging arms 10 and 11 respectively are fixed at theirinner ends to shaft 9, as shown. set screws 12 being provided whichthreadedly engage sleeve por tions provided in said arms. Said arms aredisposed angularly as shown. at an angle of substantially 15 degrees,although it will, of course, be understood that this angle may beconsiderably varied if desired. Arms 10 and 11 at their outer ends carrvdoor-engaging rollers 10b and 117) respectively. The arms 10 and 11fixed toshaft 9 are urged to out- 'wardly projecting posit-ion bysuitable means, such as a coiled spring 13. one end of which is securedto bracket 8 andthe other end of which is secured to one of the arms.Arms 10 and 11 may each be provided with laterally and upwardlyextending adjustable stops 10a and 11a respectively. one of said stopsbeing adapted to engage the attachment flange of bracket 8 to limit theoutward and upward swinging of said arms when the doors are opened. Arms10 and 11 are substantially similar in structure and lengt but due totheir angulation, it will of course be obvious that when the arms are infully extended posi tion the outer end of arm 10 hereinafter desig natedas the active door-engaging arm will be positioned beyond the end of theinactive door engaging arm 11.

Closely associated with the operation of said doors and arms and mountedon the astragal-equipped or active door is a horizontal yieldablestriker member designated as an entirety by the letter S. Striker memberS may comprise a tubular housing 14: which is mounted horizontally overastragal 7 terminating at its outer end in registration w *ith the edgeof the astragal. 'Within tubular housing 14 is a yieldable bolt 15spring pressed outwardly by meansof a coiled compression spring. 16 andas shown, carrying at its outer or projecting end a roller 17. It will,of course, be apparent that the roller may be omitted if desired andmerely the usual type of beveled bolt utilized, although the roller ispreferred. As shown in the dotted lines in Fi 3, the center of roller 1?or the extremity of the bolt if a beveled bolt is used, overlaps to aconsiderable extent the edge at the outer surface of the inactive doorB. The edge of door B is preferably provided with a rounded CllVGlglllgbolt-strike 18 in substantially horizontal alignment with the bolt 15which acts as a camming surface for said bolt when the inactive doorpasses by the'active door as will later appear. Each of the doors A andB may be provided with metal strike plates 19 extending vertically attheir upper ends adjacent the free edges of the roller, said'strikeplates being adapted to vengage the rollers 10]) and 11?) of. the doorengaging arms.

I r Operatiow v The door engaging-arms and bracket 8 are mounted on thedoorway as indicated in the drawings, the bracket being adjustedconveniently by first securing the slotted portions to the doorway,moving the bracket to position the ends of arms. 10 and 11 in properoperative position when extended or swung to project'- ed position. Thebracket may then be made fast by attaching screws or other fasteningmeans through the apertures 80. The tension of the arm-operating coiledspring 13 should be sufficient to swing the. arms to operative positionwith arm 10 disposed substantially horizontally. The pressure exerted onsaid arms must be considerably less than the force of the door checks Xfor pulling the doors to closed position. r

Assuming that the doors are both opened simultaneously, the free edge ofthe inactive door B will abut striker member S forcing the active dooroutwardly and because of the projection of the yieldable bolt 15, whichas shown, carries roller 17 both doors will be swung outwardly when; theinactive door is moved, until there is su-fiicient clearance betweenthe'opposing edges. of the doors to permit the edge of door B to swingpast the roller 17. Before this will occur, doors A and B Will haveswung outwardly from the door frame a distance more than sufficient topermit arms 10 and 11 to be swung to full outward or operative position.If it were not for the projecting bolt 15, in many cases when he doorsare simultaneously opened by pushing against the inactive door, therewould not be sufiicient clearance between the inner surfaces of the doorand the doorway to enable the arm 10 to be swung to full horizontalposition. In such instances, assuming the inactive door to be swung pastdoor A, the active door urged toward the doorway by its door check Xwould be thrust against arm 10 before arm 10 had reached the horizontalor dead center position and would therefore swing both arms downwardlyagainst the tension of coiled spring 13 permitting the active orastragal door to close ahead of the inactive door B. This often happenswith most door co-ordinating devices extensively used at this time andin many instances the edges of the two doors, that is, the astragal andthe opposing edge of the opposite door, abut, producing a lateralpressure on the door against the hinges and thereby quickly looseningthe hinges and causing the door to sag, become displaced and beobjectionable.

lVith my device it will be seen that the inactive door, urged to closedposition by its door check X must always pass the active door A and'beclosed in advance thereof. Door A will be held by the arm 10 disposed inhorizontal or dead center position and assuming the inactive door B hasbeen swung to full open position it will cam against the roller 17 orbolt and due to the inclined surfaces on bolt 15 and yielding action ofthe same, will push bolt 15 inwardly by the camming action of boltstrike 18, permitting the inactive door to pass until it engages theroller 11?) of arm 11. Arm 11 disposed in the inclined position will beswung downwardly and with it arm 10 by the power from the door check andthe doors will then be closed in proper position with the astragal 7overlapping the adjacent edge of the door 13.

In Fig. 6 a modified construction for the door-engaging arms is showncomprising an integral casting or forging wherein the arms designated as20 and 21 respectively are angularly positioned at the proper angleandare provided with reversely arranged door stops 22 and 23 respectively.The casting or unit has a horizontal bore 2a through which a pivot boltis adapted to extend, pivotally securing the member to a suitablemounting or bracket.

If it is desired in said modified structure to employ the co-ordinatingdevice on doors where the right hand rather than the left hand door isequipped with the astragal or overlapping edge, the casting is simplyremoved from the mounting, turned up-side-down or reversed therebycausing arm 21 to be dis posed at an angle above arm 20 for engaging theright-hand or active door.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have invented asimple and highly eilicient door co-ordinating mechanism applicable toastragal or lapping doors varying considerably in width and dimensionsand operative to insure, under all conditions, the closing of theinactive or underlapped door prior to the closing of theastragalcarrying or lapping door.

it will be seen that the success of my device under all conditions andcircumstances is dependent upon the close cooperation of the yieldablestriker member S with the door engaging arms 10 and ll and the lappededges of the doors. As has been explained, unless means are provided,such as striker member S for causing the active door to be opener. to apredetermined position by the swinging move rent of the inactive door,arms 10 and 11 would not perform their functions and the active doorwould be closed prior to the closing of the inactive door. It willfurther be seen that such a striker member having a y lding and cammingaction to permit the inactive door to pass the same on its return towardclosed position is necessary.

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made inthe form, details, proportions and arrangement of the parts, withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention,which, generaliystatcd,consists in a device capable of carrying out the'objects above setforth, and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed anddefined in the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:-

1. The combination with a doorway and a pair of sv-ringing doors havingover-lapping portions at their free vertical edges and means for urgingsaid doors to closed position, of door co-ordinating mechanismcomprising a pair of door-engaging elements in operation projectedlaterally from one of the horizontal edges of said (l()()l"\ ay, one ofsaid elements being projected a greater distance than the other elementand being adapted to engage and temporarily hold the over-lapping oractive door, the other element being adapted to be engaged by the lappedor inactive door in the closing movement thereof and movable with saidinactive door to release said first n'ientioned element and a strikermember projecting from the extreme, free, vertical edge of said activedoor adapted to be struck by said inactive door when said doors areopened in unison to insure the swinging of said active door to a pointremoved from said doorway a distance greater than the projection of saidfirst mentioned door-engaging element.

2. The combination with a doorway and a pair of swinging doors havingover-lapping portions at their free vertical edges and means for urgingsaid doors to closed position, oi door co-ordinating mechanismcomprising a pair of door-engaging elements in operation projectedlaterally from one of the horizontal edges of said doorway, one of saidelements being projected a greater distance than the other element andbeing adapted to enga e and temporarily hold the overlapping or activedoor, the other element being adapted to beengaged by the lapped orinactive door in the closing movement thereof and movable with saidinactive door to release said first mentioned element, and a strikermember projecting from the extreme, free, vertical edge of said activedoor and yieldable inwardly in the direction of said edge when lateralpressure is placed against its outer longitudinal surface, said strikermember being adapted to be struck by said inactivedoor when said doorsare opened in unison to insure the swinging of said active door toapoint removed from said doorway a distance greater than the projectionof the said first mentioned door-engaging element.

8. The structure set forth in claim 2, wherein said striker membercomprises a slidable bolt, spring-pressed outwardly and having a beveledcamming surface on its outer and projecting longitudinal surface.

l. The combination, with a doorway and a pair of swinging doors havingover-lapping portions at their free vertical edges and means torurgingsaid doors to closed position, of door co-ordinating mechanism,comprising, a pair of swingable door-engaging arms pivoted beneath theupper edge of the doorway and inwardly of the door stop for swinging ona horizontal axis, said arms being arranged at an angle, and means forurging said arms outwardly to positions where one thereof will behorizontal for engaging and temporarily holding the over-lapping oractive door, said arms being disposed in de pending position when saiddoors are closed.

The combination with a doorway and a pair of swinging doors havingover-lapping portions at their free vertical edges. and means "forurging sald doors to closed position, of door co-ordinating mechanism,comprising, a mounting secured beneath the top of said doorway inwardlyof the door stop, a pair of door-engaging arms pivoted to said mountingon an axis extending substantially parallel with said door stop, saidarms being a mounted in a fixed angular relation and being'held independing position by said doors when said doors are closed, meansforswinging said arms outwardly and upwardly when said doors are openedand means torlimiting the swinging movement of said arms to cause onethereof tobe operatively disposed in horizontal position for engagingand temporarily holding the over-lapping or active door and with theother arm declined with respect to saidfirst mentioned arm. I

6; The structure set forth in claim 5, wherein said arms are adjustabl yfixedto a common pivot memberin said mounting.

7. The combination with a doorway and a pair of; swinging doors havingover-lapping portions, at their free vertical edges and means for urgingsaid doors to closed position, of door co-ordinating mechanismcomprising a pair of door-engaging elements in operation projectedlaterally from one ot the horizontal edges of said doorway, one of saidelements being projected a greater distance than the other element andbeing adapted to engage and temporarily hold the overlapping or activedoor, the other element being adapted to be engaged by the lappedorinactive door in the closing movement thereof and movablewith saidinactive door to release said first mentioned element, and a yieldablestriker member projecting from the extremeiree, vertical edge of saidactive door compr sing a plunger, sprin -pressed outwardlv laterally ofsaid edge, said plunger having a beveled outer longitudinal surfaceandcari'ymg atits outer extremity a roller, the center of which isdisposed inwardly, of the free edge of the inactivedoor when said doorsare closed. i a

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MYER w. nosnunnns.

